How To Write Well:

Section 4 - Use Active Verbs

Contents: Use active verbs

Use active verbs:

This subject, the most grammatical part of this guide, is where writing can really let us down. Most people know that a verb is a 'doing' word (such as 'make', 'work', 'write', 'ask' and so on), but they don't know about active and passive verbs.

In speech we use plenty of personal words - "you", "we", "I" and ACTIVE verbs. We do this quite unconsciously and by habit. The personal touch increases human interest. Active verbs make the sentences more direct and easier to understand.

Formal English tends to avoid personal words. PASSIVE verbs are a common way of avoiding them. The result is less human interest and some highly involved sentences.

Passive verbs have nothing to do with verbs in the past tense. They are just a way of turning sentences around and saying something a little different - in the future, present or past.

Spotting passive verbs is easy. They always have two things:

• one of the following - been, being, be, were, was, am, are, is;

• a 'past participle'

So a complete passive verb could be 'is done', 'has been given', or 'will be signed'.

Here are some examples of passive and active verbs from typical official documents.

Your complaint has been investigated (passive)

We have investigated your complaint (active)

Enquiries have been made by us (passive)

We have made enquiries (active)

It will be signed by the manager (passive)

The manager will sign it (active)

By themselves, passives don't look too bad. But when you have a lot of them together, they make writing very dull, bureaucratic, impersonal and occasionally ambiguous.

Sometimes you will want to use a passive. But to keep your writing lively, aim to make 80 - 90% of your verbs active.

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